The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 5 — page 156: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE MYSTERIES OF THE Court. ] ap ono of the wax-candics from the table, and quitted the room by the door which Lady Saxon- dalo giad indicated. «But as he issued forth, he elosed the door in éuch a manner that while i¢ ap- peared to the inmates of the room tp shut, he did not really allow it td do so; but ho suffered it to remain about an inch ajar—and then, instead of f immediately continuing his way to Lady Saxon- dale’s private charsber, hé atopped to listen, setting down the wax-candle at such a distance from the door, and in such a position th&t it threw no light into the room. Sn, 8 - | But why did the Cannibal adopt all these preodu- tions? why did he remain and listen? Becate, notwithstanding Lady Saxondale’s countenance had remaincd inscrutable in its self-possession during tho whole of' the latter portion of the discourse, yot.. still Chiflin’s mind was filled with doubt and mis-. giving. That very self-possession on her ladyship’s part appeared, the longer he reflected upan it,éo bo but a musk for some deep treachery. In short,. Chiffin fancied that she had purposely sent him on this crrand with the knowledge that he would fall into some snare the nature of *which he himself could not however conjecture; and that in the mountime she would endeavour to extricate: herself from the custody of Tony Wilkins. He therofore resolved to listen for a few minutes; and if Lady Suxo:Mlale remained perfectly quiet aad gave no indications of treachery either by word or deed, Chifin might then in all confidence pursue his way to her chamber. . For at least a couple of minutes after he had quitted the room, Lady Saxondale remained per- fectly silent as to speoch* and tranquil as to move- mont; while Tony Wilkins stood close by the chair in which sho was seated, the pistol fh one hand, the open clasp-kuife in tho other, and his eyes in- tendly fixed upon the splendid patrician lady’ whom he was thus watching. Secing everything remain thus favourable, the Cannibal was about to steal away from the door and ascend.the. staircase—-when _ Lady Saxondale began to speak; qp that Chiffin’s fect remained rivetted to the spot, and he continue to listen with suspended breath. - “TI feel such a faintness coming over me,” were the words which thus began to fidw, from Lady Saxondale’s lips, und which were addressed to Tony - Wilkins, “that I must beg you to reach me that -acent-bottle which stands on tho mantel. It is the one with tho ‘silver top, and is next to the time-piece.” ae . She spoke in a faint and languid voice, and ap- Wilkins gave no immediate. answer: ho hesitated how to act. At length he said, “ Well, ma'am, I don’t wiht to act. harsh—leastways not orael: bul “Twill endeavoor,”: murmured. Ledy Saxondale, atill more faintly than before: and. gising from her seat, she advanced slowly dad with. every. appear- ancé of fecbleness, and tottering ia her gait, towards the mantel. / ele Tony Wilkins kept so close to her, and héld his : 3 her way to her seat. — 143 Chiffia, who observed all that was passing trom tue doorway, felt perfevtly satistied with the conduct of his companion: yet he was well convinced in his , own mind that this was nothing but a stratagem on tho lady’s part for the purpose of consummating “ Don’t go too uear the bell-pulls, ma’am,” said Tony Wilkias, who evidently hail his misgiving also: “cause whiy this here olasp-knifo is terribly apt to dig itealf right down into an arm whico atretched owt to ring a bell ab a time when the flunkeys and slaveys isn’t exactly wanted.” “T had no intention of the kind,” responded Lady Saxondale: and taking the bottle from the chimney- pieve, she, still with slow.and tottering gait, retraced “Well,” thought Chiffin to himself, “she meant no harm after all: bué I supposo these fino ladios can't get on without. their scent-bottles, any wore than a chap like me can without bis gin. But Vil just stay a minute or 90 r; and thon if she eays nothing mére, I shall cqnsider it’s all right.” Lady Saxendele resumed her seat, and sank lan- guidly back in the chair,—Tony Wilkins still ro. ‘maining close by ‘her side, and atill preserving, vigilant watch over her. She took ‘from the tablo her snowy white pocket-han hief, which way elaborately eybroidered all alorig the hems and worked with a coronet. in each corner. Then, still with languid movements, she unscrewed tho silver tup which covered the glass etopper of the bottle. We should obsetve that the bottle itself was a small one of cut glass, and contained a white fluid instead of the crystallized salts uaually seen in scent-bottles. Tony Wilkins naturally thought this white fluid must be some vory delicious perfume: when how- over Lady Saxondale drew out the glass-stoppcr, the ordour emitted by the fluid was by no moans of an agrcsable taste, but on the contrary, was pun- gent, powerful, and unpleasant. That Lady Saxon- dale herself ontertained a similar opinion, appearcd to bs indicated by the ciréumstancéo that while pour. ing a little of this white fluid upon her pucket- handkerchief she held both handkerchief and bottle as far away from her nose as possible. Then sho hastily put in tho glass stopper again, and ‘placed the bottle on the table: but in so doing, she dropped the handkerchief. “Pitk it up for me,” she said in a very faint voice : and she now fooked as if she were going off Tony. Wilkins really and truly belioved that such | ip- | was the case; and while in a very guarded manner, peared to be sinking back in the chair. Tony so as. not to bé. taken unawares, he stooped down ‘and picked yup the handkerchief, ho said tu himeellf, } “I'm hanged if this.ie gammon: it’s her nerves as ! , su | does it, I suppose.” “He ooordingly picked up the J can’t part company from, yer. If.60“be natur”| kerchief with the hand that held the pistol, and was isn’t so much exhausted that. you cah drag yourself | about to present it to her ladyship, when the latter up to the chimbley-piece, I'd rsyther it‘should be | sald in atone of affable condescension, “You are done that way, and then? could walk by your weldéme to smell it if you like: the perf ume is of - By ii very natural and mechanigal movement, Tony Wilkins applied the handkerchief’ to his nose: but scarcely had he done so when an overpowering serisation seized upon him with the suddenness of lightning flash—he gave one gasp in an abprtive : effort to cry out—handkerchief, pistol, and clasp. weapons in such evident readiness to use them, that ! knife fell from his hands—and he dropped down (C©) LOAO© SS (CO)